From Nkambe to New York: My journey as an Open Dreams Scholar | Tawe Divine Kongnyu

I contemplated writing this because I have self-diagnosed scopophobia. Hahaha. However, I realized in hindsight that I was inspired by the story of another person - a video, two actually, posted on the Open Dreams Facebook page about young Open Dreams Scholars taking their first flights. So, I write this to inspire someone out there who knows where I am from, or is from a similar place, to dare to dream big! In high school, I hardly ever thought about the question, “what’s next after high school,” primarily because I didn’t have an answer. The goal was simple: study hard, get good grades, and see what happens next. That goal made total sense to me: a proud son of a suya man in Nkambe.

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I trekked to GTHS Nkambe every morning on an empty stomach after reading under the luminance of a solar-rechargeable torch with that goal in mind. I thought success would create its own direction.

And yes, I did deliver: best average in CAP TST in 2022; 1st Nationally ITVEE 2023; 2nd Nationally at the ATVEE 2025 (40 points); bonus: first, last, if not the only commercial student with an A grade in GCE AL Computer Science (0795).

However, with all these achievements, I had no sense of direction, and the question came back: What’s next after high school?

My dad couldn’t afford university education with his suya business that kept us afloat.

With no government scholarship or public support present, I was confused.

Scrolling through a NELCO WhatsApp group, the community where Bayon Franck and Fodjo Nelson helped me and other students navigate Computer Science, I clicked to a form shared by Frank and signed up for the Application - Open Dreams 2025 Online Pre-Scholar Mentorship Program | Batch of Fortitude. 

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Through Pastor Japhet Kembung, Mr. Kum Festus, a US soldier, offered to sponsor my education in Cameroon, and that’s how I found myself in Bamenda with Maxmillian and Bawe Junior to prepare for the entrance into HICM. While in Bamenda,  I attended the 3-Day ODSA Immersion Program, where I learned about SAT for the first time, among many others, with a warm welcome from Mrs. Lum Blessing Fuh, the Open Dreams Northwest Regional Program Coordinator.

Later, I was invited to Douala for the Orange Excellence+, recognizing the top 30 high school graduates at the GCE AL and Baccalaureat 2025, where I was awarded a scholarship of 1,000,000frs.

After receiving the funds, a conversation with the Country Director of Open Dreams, Mr. Akaba James, led me to a high-risk, high-reward decision: to use the money to sponsor my gap year in Yaoundé.

With the road lockdown in Bamenda, a yearly routine around school resumption, a brief green light appeared one weekend, and without a second thought and in a leap of faith, I packed my bags and left for Yaoundé, with no place to stay.

I arrived in Yaoundé at 10:44 pm and had to sleep at the bus agency because it was already late. I reached out to Mr. Findo Eric, who connected me to Mme. Noella Chewe. The following day, I was picked up by Mme. Noella Chewe.

A few days later, I navigated the city of Yaoundé with its spontaneous architecture, and I made myself to the Open Dreams Centre.

After the warm welcome of Mr. Akaba and his introduction of me to the scholars there, my journey towards beating deadlines began.

Even after getting a single room close to the Open Dreams Centre, with the help of my uncle, I spent more nights at the centre that the only reason I would go home was to cook and bathe.

The more I spent time there, the more I was involved, and over time, I was taking up roles that have built me today.

Before fully onboarding into Open Dreams, I made extensive use of the book "After the GCE, What Next?", a book by one of the Open Dreams team members, Mr. Toulack Kingsley.

The application journey was humbling when rejections coming in from Ashesi, WashU, etc. made me question my “perfect” grades.

However, the journey was equally transformational with the resources and people available within the Open Dreams Community.

Since joining Open Dreams, I have had the privilege to be part of amazing programs like Aviva Day‘25, the Open Dreams Easter-Break Mentorship Program (ODEB2026), the Open Dreams Summer Academy (ODSA2026), administrative affairs including the regular administration of the Cambridge IELTS Trial Test, and so much more, where my technical skills came in handy and helped me fortify my leadership development in real time in a professional setting. 

Today, as I walk through the city of New York, with a sore neck from gazing at the amazing, elongated architecture, taking the subway back to 116th Street, I am constantly reflecting on the same question: What’s next after high school? 

To be honest, I don’t know: I am not sure if I want to sit behind a black screen or draft economic policies, but I know I want a piece of each world. Right now, Financial Econ + CS are on my mind. Will that change? Maybe. Saying I don't have everything figured out kind of sounds silly, but that's the truth. You don’t always need to have everything figured out. Just get things done. 

From the cooking in the kitchen, from the edge of a gutter to meal swipes in that Columbia College dining, I will encourage that inspired person to dare and dream big. Getting into Columbia College, an Ivy League school, is a monumental achievement.

Columbia College is one of the most selective undergraduate destinations in the world, and I am deeply fortunate to be among the 2.73% of applicants selected from the application pool this year.

As a Kluge Scholar at Columbia, the program covered my visa and flight expenses—making this dream not only possible, but accessible.  I am incredibly grateful.

I am also really grateful to Open Dreams and its co-founders, who have created an amazing community to help people like me dare to dream bigger.

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Thank you, Mr. Akaba James, for bringing me in. Thank you, Mr. Seka Jean Blaise, my counsellor, for always showing me the way. Thank you, Uncle Richard, for your care.

Thank you, Mr Findo Eric and Mme. Noella Chewe for supporting me when I was making a questionable decision.

Thank you to my fellow Open Dreams Scholars for welcoming me and supporting me.

Being part of Open Dreams is a privilege.

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Thank you, Nelson and Franck, for NELCO.

Thank you to my teachers, Mr. Forgwei Godlove, Mr. Soh Raphael, and Mr. Illyasu, for supporting me throughout my application.

Thank you, Dad, for allowing me to make that then foolish yet now wise decision.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey.

The real MVP is conspicuous: thank you, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for everything.

Amen. - Tawe Divine Kongnyu | Open Dreams